The first time Maura had gone over
to the Rizzoli house for Christmas, she’d been astounded by how
much noise only four people could make just by laughing and talking.
Then the cousins had shown up with their parents and the noise had
easily quadrupled. And then the neighbors joined in. There’d
been almost fifty people coming and going into all rooms of the
house, sitting on the stoop, talking on the back porch, and cooking
in the kitchen. Well, the women had been in the kitchen. It had been
a fascinating look into the gender roles of Italian-American
families.

Maura had been surprised to find
several presents under the tree with her name on it and a little
guilty that she’d only brought the one for Jane. They hadn’t
known one another long at that point and she’d only met Angela
and Frank once before that time. She hadn’t realized just how
much they’d liked her and wanted to include her until forced to
open her ‘gag gifts’ with an ever-increasing blush.

The second time she’d been to
the Rizzoli’s for Christmas, Maura had been prepared. She’d
brought two gifts for each person, even though they’d mostly
been guesses on which kind of gift cards would go with the gender
neutral foodstuffs. While she’d known them over a year at that
point, Maura hadn’t considered herself anywhere near an expert
on the family. She’d also been more prepared to deal with the
noise; she’d brought extra strength Tylenol and discreetly
begun consuming them at the afternoon meal.

There’d been several
Christmases between that first and now. Maura considered the Rizzoli
family her own, even if Frank and Angela were newly divorced and the
holiday celebration was far quieter than was their wont.

Jane had confided that, “Dad
got most of the family in the divorce even though everyone blames
him. Ma married into the family, you know? Everyone still loves her,
it’s just… well, blood is blood. It sucks, but that’s
life.”

Maura knew better than to bring up
the subject at any time, let alone during the holiday itself. She
might not be well-versed in social interaction but even she knew that
much. At least she knew exactly what to get Angela and how to present
it so the older woman wouldn’t refuse the weekend getaway.

Frankie was spending the day with
his latest girlfriend. He’d opened presents with Jane and
Angela that morning, before Maura had arrived.

“Not that we think this one
will last any longer than the last,” Angela said, rolling her
eyes. “Honestly, that boy is never going to settle down.”

Jane kissed the top of her mother’s
head on the walk to the tree where Maura sat. She plopped down on the
floor and said dryly, “He’s not exactly over the hill
yet, Ma. Give him a break.”

Giving Jane a pointed look, Angela
said, “I want grandkids! God knows I’ll never get them
from you. I still have some hope from Frankie, even if it winds up
being an accident. I’d be perfectly happy with three
accidents.”

Maura stifled the truly amused smile
that wanted to get out at the plaintive statement. “So, Angela,
how are things going for you at the café?”

Jane shot her a dirty look, which
Maura returned with wide eyed innocence. Jane snorted and reached for
a present under the tree before shoving it at her.

“Oh, it’s going great!
That new promotion I thought up is just really bringing in business!”

Maura opened the small box with its
colorful wrapping as Angela continued to gush about her work. Jane
might think working at the police café was trivial and even
annoying, but Maura saw it for what it was; a stab at independence.
That was something that she would support no matter how irritated
Jane got with her for it. She knew that Jane just didn’t
understand how difficult it was for a woman of Angela’s age and
cultural background to break out of a ‘housewife’ mindset
and embrace her potential.

Opening the box provoked her into
gasping. Inside rested a delicate gold chain with a sapphire pendant.
She looked over at Jane and said, “It’s lovely! I can’t
believe you would get me something like this!”

Jane shrugged, but Maura knew she
was pleased by the reaction from the faint air of smugness to her
smile. “Who else am I gonna spend my money on? Ma?”

“Hey!”

“Sorry, Ma.”

Maura lifted the necklace from the
box and said, “Put it on me.”

Jane took it and undid the tiny
clasp, moving to her knees as Maura pulled her hair out of the way.
There was some careful rearranging of arms as Jane threaded the
necklace into place and her hands rested briefly, warm and firm, on
Maura’s neck once it was settled. “There we go. All set.”

Maura took the next box from Jane
with a bemused smile. “You must be really desperate to spend
money this year.”

Jane smirked a bit and said, “Might
be. Open it.”

This box was also small and she
unwrapped it with the same care she’d done previously. This
time there was a watch and a stunning one, at that; gold with tiny
sapphire chips at each major point of the clock face. Somewhat
aghast, Maura exclaimed, “Jane! Honestly, I can’t accept
this.”

“You can and you will,”
Jane said sternly.

Maura did her best not to shiver at
the authority in the other woman’s voice. She’d learned
to suppress her feelings for the other woman long ago. Jane might be
bisexual, but she preferred men and hadn’t even dated a woman
since they’d met. Well, not that Maura was aware of, at least.
She knew that being a female detective was difficult enough that Jane
didn’t want to add the gay ‘label’ to her life on
top of everything else she dealt with.

The watch fit perfectly and looked
just beautiful on her. Maura took the time to admire it on her wrist
and then smiled widely at Jane. “It is beautiful.”

Jane smiled back at her and said,
“One more.”

At least this one was an envelope so
it hopefully wouldn't be anything too extravagant. Maura relaxed a
bit and opened a truly sentimental card that made her throat tighten.

To the love of my life,

You’ve been there through
it all, and lit my path with your goodness. I have no words to tell
you what you mean to me, but hope you know. I cherish all out time
together and pray for our hearts to remain intertwined forever.

Your loving husband

I love you,

Jane

Maura frowned and looked at Jane.
“Husband?”

Jane rolled her eyes. “I
couldn’t find something that said what I wanted it to say
without that damn word in it. Hallmark doesn’t exactly make
lesbian cards and I figured whiteout would just make it look tacky.”

And then it hit Maura. Her eyes
widened and she whispered, “You love me?”

Jane licked at her lips, a nervous
gesture that she never could get rid of, and nodded. “Yeah. I
uh, I do. I was kinda hoping we could, you know, uh, get together. I
mean. Crap. Maura, will you do me the honor of being my girlfriend?”

The feelings she’d stuffed
down into the lockbox of her logic broke free and she threw her arms
around Jane’s neck. Normally anything to do with romance went
right over her head, but it didn't require a scientific background to
know how good they were together. And she'd never been one for
denying herself what she wanted, either. Holding tight, she said,
“You didn’t have to buy me things to ask me out! Of
course I will.”

Jane hugged her back, holding on
just as tight. Then she said, “I could always return…”

“Don’t you dare!”
Maura exclaimed, pulling back.

Jane grinned at her and it was an
expression of evil glee. “I knew you were a traditional kinda
girl. I bought chocolates and flowers in case the jewelry didn’t
fly.”

Maura kissed her just to shut her
up. It was sweet and remained close mouthed because she was
all-too-aware of Angela beaming at them from the sofa. The hunger
itching to touch Jane in a far more lascivious manner would have to
wait until they were alone.

Maura couldn’t help the blush
that spread over her face. So much intensity directed at her caused
her stomach to twist into an uncomfortable knot and she looked away.
She should have expected it, though; Jane was not what anyone could
call subtle or weak-willed.

“Oh stop embarrassing the poor
girl!” Angela broke in. “You’d think you never
asked a girl out before, for cryin’ out loud. Come on. Time for
dinner. Help me in the kitchen, Maura, will you? Jane, call your
brother and see if he’s going to make it home tonight.”

Jane rolled her eyes, but let Maura
go and pulled out her cell.

Maura stood and yelped when Jane
pinched her on the buttocks. She turned startled gaze on Jane who
gave her an innocent look.

Angela ordered, “Jane! Behave
yourself!”

“What? I didn’t do
anything!”

“You’re asking for it,
young lady.”

Maura rubbed her still-throbbing
buttock as she followed Angela into the kitchen, in turn bemused and
aroused by the proprietary marking. She hadn't thought Jane would be
possessive, but it opened up several titillating possibilities.

As soon as they were out of sight of
the living room, and Jane, Angela wrapped Maura up in a hug and then
kissed her cheek. She beamed at Maura when she let go. “This is
your official welcome to the family! I told her to do all this last
year, but would she listen to her mother? No.”

Maura smiled and said, “Thank
you, Angela. I must admit that, well, I’ve considered all of
you my family for some years now.”

Maura didn’t, not really, but
had found it best to nod and smile at Angela in moments like this, so
she did.

“Excellent! Now. Let me show
you how to cook a ham. You can’t keep ordering in when you and
Janie move in together. She needs home cooked meals and with the way
she can't cook, you'll both starve.”

Maura watched the instruction on
preparing the spiral ham avidly, but only with part of her mind. The
rest of her was on Jane and their future together. As much as she'd
always envisioned Jane in her life, it hadn't occurred to her that
they might progress to a romantic stage. Happiness fluttered through
her. Jane came up behind her, wrapping arms around her waist, and
Maura leaned back against her.

Resting her hands on Jane's,
surrounded by her while watching Angela chatter on loudly at the
stove, Maura suddenly and truly knew what it was to have family.